


Cry of the Jötnar

by advictorem



Category: God of War, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: F/F, F/M, Mythology - Freeform, Zeus is Kratos
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-03
Updated: 2018-07-10
Packaged: 2019-05-28 11:47:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,602
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15048266
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/advictorem/pseuds/advictorem
Summary: Some spoilers for God of War. AU.Zeus returns to his children to fulfill one final promise he made to his lover, Beryl: spread her ashes over the highest mountain in all the realms. If he had realized how arduous this task would be, he might have reconsidered.Theyna (Thalia/Reyna), Zeus/Beryl, Zeus/Freya.





	1. Winter's Welcome

**Author's Note:**

> I just beat the main storyline for God of War, and I couldn't resist. Zeus as Kratos, Thalia and Jason as Atreus. It's gonna be a bit different from the game, and I'm super weak on Norse Mythology, but here goes something.
> 
> (Zeus is an asshole, Thalia is an Asshole, Jr., and Jason is a lovely little bean that must be protected at all costs.)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There are some spoilers for the game, but the plot-line of this is going to be so different that it's okay.
> 
> "The sooner they took her ashes to the highest peak in all the realms, the sooner he could be out of their lives, and they would be safe again."

When he reached the lands of Midgard, her ashes were gone. The flames had dwindled to sparks, and the forest surrounding the old cottage was immersed in a respectful silence. A fair-haired head hung in front of the dais, and he didn’t have to see the baby blue eyes or the menacing scar to recognize his own son, his youngest child.

“Jason.” His voice was a cold bellow, but he couldn’t help it.

His son glanced up fearfully, and his body only relaxed a tad when he recognized his father.

Zeus knelt until they were level. “Your mother’s ashes. Where are they?”

His boy sniffled, and Zeus narrowed his eyes to retain his focus. “Thalia...she collected the ashes. Mother wanted her to go to the highest peak in all the realms and scatter her ashes. She wouldn’t let me go with.”

Zeus grumbled at the mention of his daughter. He should have figured that their mother would have a final, ridiculous request, and he certainly should have known that Thalia would be stubborn about seeing the task through. Foolishly alone.

“The highest peak?” Zeus hounded his grief stricken son. “The mountain?” He hurumphed. “Yes, she told me as much.”

Jason swallowed, unable to look his father in the eyes for long. “I guess so.”

“Mm.” Zeus jerked his head towards the door. He would probably come to regret his hastily made decision, but they had little time. “Gather your things. We are leaving.”

“Leaving—but father—“

“Do not question me, boy,” Zeus cut in evenly. “Your sister cannot make this journey alone. She will surely perish.”

Jason appeared like he was about to argue, but he nodded briskly and hurried off into the cottage. He emerged mere minutes later with a leather rucksack, a thin bedroll clasped to the top. Zeus noticed, also, the dagger dangling from his belt, and the hunting spear lying against his back. He was only nine winters old, and the weapons seemed to weigh him down a great bit, but his expression was so very proud and so very sure that Zeus found it difficult to wear his ever-present scowl.

“Come.”

The sooner they took her ashes to the peak, the sooner he could be out of their lives, and they would be safe again.

“Yes, Father,” Jason agreed, his smaller legs easily maintaining their pace. “She went this way.”

They walked for what seemed like an eternity, but Zeus knew it had only been seven hours. Jason was on his back, slumbering and snoring lightly in his ear, lithe arms wrapped around his bulky neck. They were close to Thalia—Zeus was far from the realm of his rule, but most of his powers still prevailed and he sensed her presence.

She was alive. Alone, but alive.

He knew there were dark creatures about—he and Jason had run into multiple groups on their way towards the mountain. Strange, senseless creatures, emitting an eerie blue hue and shooting shards of ice from their hands. Jason said their mother had called them Hel-walkers. Funny, in all the years she had prayed to him, begging for riches and power, she had never once asked for his protection. Had his children lived amongst these beasts all of their lives? He had hoped, by moving his illegitimate children here to her homeland, that they would be spared a life of devastation and hardship. He saw now that he had been very wrong.

He knew their fate was unavoidable but he had foolishly thought...despite the prophecy...

Jason stirred against his back like a feverish worm, and Zeus halted his steps momentarily to calm his movements.

It was almost like the boy could sense his cleverly hidden distress, even while he slumbered.

He wondered every day what powers each of his children possessed. He knew Thalia was strong—she had always been. She had been able to lift him as a toddler (he still regretted provoking her tantrum by denying her a pastry) and she had inherited some amount of control over his domain. But what about Jason? He had yet to show Zeus anything. Was he a late bloomer or simply a runt?

Hours later, when Jason awoke, Zeus gave him clear instructions.

“Find food. Hunt.”

“Hunt?” Jason repeated warily. “But, Thalia—“

“Thalia isn’t here!” Zeus glowered. “So you shall starve?”

“No, Father,” Jason responded resolutely, and it was clear he was holding his temper in check. Something his sister wasn’t very good at, if Zeus recalled correctly. “I will hunt.”

“Show me,” Zeus ordered. “Study those tracks.”

Jason mumbled foreign words to himself, crouching low to the ground, his calloused hand hovering steadily above the tracks.

“Boar.”

“Are you sure?”

“A boar,” Jason repeated firmly. “And a big one, at that.”

“Find it.”

Jason set off and, if Zeus hadn’t been a god, he might have lost track of him. He jogged behind him, not a single piece of his armor shifting as he charged. He wanted to witness the kill. He wanted to see his son’s natural abilities for himself.

It didn’t take them long to catch up with the boar. It was resting peacefully in a field of flowers when they spotted it. Jason’s hand twitched and he slowly reached for his pilum.

“Keep your aim steady.” Zeus spoke as quietly as his hoarse voice allowed him. “Do not fire until I give the command.”

But Jason had already taken aim. He let loose his pilum a split second early, and the blade met steel flesh and barely penetrated the boar’s hide.

The boar squealed, taking off into the trees and leaving an ashamed boy with his unforgiving father.

“What did I say?”

He was angry. His son usually took orders so very well. Zeus felt it a deliberate show of disrespect.

“I—I—Thalia says if you take too long to go for the kill—“

“Thalia is wrong,” Zeus scolded. “She is impulsive. I will remedy that. But you, boy, need to listen and do as I say.”

Jason silently fumed, and Zeus could hardly make out what he murmured to himself. “Thalia...better...you.”

“What?” Zeus seethed. “What did you say?”

“Nothing,” Jason said, smartly avoiding eye contact. Zeus didn’t think he could bear to see the glint in them anyway. “Nothing at all, Father.”

Zeus grunted. “Find your prey again.”

And Jason was off. This time, Zeus allowed more distance between them. He thought about what he overheard: _Thalia, better, you_.

Did Jason honestly believe Thalia was better than him? A better hunter? Or a better caretaker?

Zeus’ lips curled. Who cared what the boy thought? He was too young to know anything. Who was he to question Zeus?

“What did you do?!”

A loud, enraged exclamation caused Zeus to start. Where was his son? Where had Jason gone?

“How could you?!”

The voice again.

“I’m sorry! I didn’t know!”

Jason.

Zeus took off running, ducking beneath obstacles and sliding in between rock faces. He didn’t cease as he heard the loud exchange, and he sighed as he finally caught sight of his son. He was crouched, pressing his hand to the boar’s wound, and a tall woman stood next to him, frowning disapprovingly.

“Jason, to my side,” Zeus shouted. “Away from that woman.”

“You have injured my friend,” the woman contradicted, and Jason looked conflicted at this revelation, glancing from the woman to his father helplessly. “You will help me save him.”

In Hades he would.

“Dad...please.” Jason’s eyes dropped and he sucked his bottom lip into his mouth, distorting the scar. “We did wrong by him. We should help him.”

Zeus grunted. “Very well.”

“You carry him,” the woman instructed, standing to her feet. “My home is only a little ways from here. I have what I need to heal his wound.”

Zeus hefted the heavy boar into his arms and ambled behind his frenzied son and the brunette woman he had met. He sensed there was something amiss about her, and so he said as much.

“You are a witch,” he accused.

“Yes,” she answered plainly. “I am the Witch of the Woods. The animals here are my friends, and the boar you hunted is very special.”

“Can he talk?” Jason asked excitedly. “He looks different from any boar I’ve ever seen!”

“No,” the woman said with a hint of amusement in her voice. “Not to my knowledge. But I’m sure he’ll like you.”

“Even after I hurt him?”

“Animals are very forgiving,” the witch responded kindly. “Now, come along, my home is right up ahead.”

“But—but, all there is—there’s just dirt.”

The woman spoke an incantation, and Zeus froze as he watch the ground snap, the grass seeming to rise into a hill right before there eyes. When the hill raised its head and spread its limbs, he realized it was, in fact, a giant turtle. Of course.

“Come,” she ushered them into her home, opening the wooden door wide and beckoning them in with her arms. “Sit my friend over there.”

Zeus did so, and the boar whined in protest. He pinned the animal down, holding it steady as the witch concocted a steamy, herbal brew. It absolutely reeked, and Zeus actually pitied the creature for a moment before it dissolved into irritation as the boar dislodged his hand.

“Still,” he ordered it, and the animal obeyed. “Witch, the cure.”

After his wound was coated in the mixture, the boar calmed. His beady eyes closed.

“Is he dead?” Jason asked fearfully.

“No, child,” she replied with a fond smile. “He will be fine. He is merely resting.”

“Good,” Jason breathed. “Say, Miss, have you seen my sister?”

“Dark hair, tall for her age, likely dressed in some form of armor,” Zeus elaborated impatiently. “Loud, covered in tattoos.”

“Has your lack of social graces?” If it weren’t for her teasing smile, he might have dismembered her for the blatant disrespect. “Yes, I do believe I have seen her. She is close by, fetching elderberries for a potion.”

“Where?” Zeus seethed between his teeth. He was secretly thankful that they had found her so early on, but he was masking it with the anger and intolerance he felt towards her impulsiveness. “She is too young to be sent on a witch’s errand.”

“She handled her own against Hel-walkers. You sell her short,” she accused. “She walked away with only a cut. She is gathering the ingredients I need to prevent infection.”

“Where, witch?” Zeus repeated angrily.

The witch sneered, but it looked too out of place. Like she had never had to make that expression before, but now it was being twisted out of her by Zeus’ impatience.

“Right behind you.”

Zeus whipped around, catching sight of a lanky figure in the gardens outside. The glass of the window was crystal clear, but it also seemed to illuminate his daughter's form, a cool mist surrounding her. He started for the door, but a firm grip on his forearm caused him to snarl.

"There is something you should know," the witch warned.

Zeus flicked his eyes to Jason. "Boy. Go outside and get your sister. Wait for me outside."

"Yes, Father," Jason droned, rushing into the garden to greet Thalia.

"Spit it out," he ordered.

"You are a god," she stated simply, eyes traveling briefly to watch them embrace each other. "Do they know?"

"How did you know?" he growled instead, setting his shoulders back. "What did you tell Thalia?"

"Nothing," the witch assured. "But you should know...it isn't safe to keep this from them. They must know what they are. You must tell them, before it's too late."

Zeus bristled.  _You must tell them._

Before it's too—

_"—late," Beryl finished. She was shaking—whether it was from the biting cold or from anger, he couldn't remember. "You were supposed to be here, waiting for us."_

_"I came as soon as I could, dear," Zeus excused. He felt his chiton ruffle, and he scooped the aggressor into his arms, bringing a giggling Thalia to his broad chest. "There is something you need to know. It concerns our child."_

_"What now?" Beryl seethed. "You told me to move her, and I did. To keep her safe. To keep her happy. To hide the truth from her. What else must I do?"_

_Zeus's face twitched as Thalia began tugging on his beard, her chubby, little fingers easily engulfed by the dark strands. "There is a prophecy. It is unclear what it entails, but it implicates our Thalia. I am sure of it."_

_"Thalia still won't be safe?" she hounded sarcastically. "Of course she won't. She won't be safe anywhere, genuis! She is not human. Monsters will always come. She will never know happiness. Thalia was born to die. If I can come to terms with that, so can you."_

_"You've come to terms with that?" Zeus snapped, finally losing his composure. Sparks dance across his skin and latch onto Thalia, and the child stares in amazement. They can't hurt her. If anything, they probably make her feel empowered. "That's what you call it? All you do is drink to escape your reality. You could do right by her."_

_"You could do right!" she yelled. "You're never here. She doesn't even know what you are! If you really want to give her the best chance in this life, you'd be here for her! You could show her how to fight—" there were tears pooling in her eyes, but he tried in vain not to notice, "—you could teach her how to use her powers. She doesn't have to live like this. She doesn't have to die!"_

_Her mother's grief contagious, Thalia broke into a startling cry that brought Zeus out of his rage. He was surprised how much he felt in that moment. It was like a dam inside of him had snapped, and in flowed everything he had repressed, in flowed the urge to squeeze his child close, to protect her, to shield her from anything or anyone. He hated to even contemplate this: What if Beryl was right? What if the only way to protect Thalia was to prepare her?_

_Zeus met her pale blue eyes and nodded, dumbfounded for possibly the first time in his immortal life. “Okay.”_

_Beryl sighed in relief, smiling a brilliant smile for the first time that day._

_”I’ll do it. I’ll be here.”_

”She knows.”

”What?” the witch asked, taken aback.

Zeus caught Thalia’s electric blue gaze—so close to his own—and he stood a bit taller as they closed the door behind them. 

“She knows.”


	2. The Visitor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Midgard had its perks, but Zeus found that the cons were far outweighing the pros.

Thalia hissed as the solution was poured into her cut. It bubbled her skin into welts. Zeus narrowed his eyes, placing a firm hand on her shoulder. She tried to shrug him off, but he held tight, sending her tiny, reassuring waves of lightning.

"Thank you,” she told the witch. She wrapped her bracers back up, still avoiding eye contact with him, but her stiff body acknowledged his presence. She turned cold eyes to her little brother. “I thought I told you to stay home. It isn’t safe for you.”

Jason scowled. “But Father showed up. It doesn’t matter that I can’t fight, he can—”

"He can’t do anything for you,” Thalia interrupted, finding meeting Zeus’ eyes. He was thoroughly eviscerated by the scorn he detected there, but he was even more disturbed by the emotions lurking underneath. “I can’t allow you to become a target. You're staying home.”

"The boy is needed,” Zeus replied gruffly, ignoring the resulting prideful smile his son sported. 

Thalia’s jaw flexed and her fists balled, and he knew the outburst was coming long before it had.

"Haven’t you done enough?” She was in his face, and he was honestly shocked by how close her head came to his collarbone. “He’s a liability. I can’t watch my back and his.”

"He’s nowhere near ready,” Zeus agreed solemnly. “But we have no choice.”

"If you care about him at all, you’ll take him home.”

"And if I care about you?” Zeus maintained his patience by some shred of self-control. Maybe it was reminding him of her mother’s tantrums. He had grown to enjoy them a bit, in his own sick, twisted way.

"Then keep it to yourself,” Thalia snarled in disgust.

Before he could respond and regain control of the situation, the nosy witch stepped in. 

“Little one, if I may,” she continued when Thalia nodded, “your father is right. I foresee a treacherous journey ahead. It would be wise to accept the help you are offered.” She smiled at Jason softly, and he lit up like the stars. “And there’s something special about this one. I can feel it.”

"Something magic?” Jason asked hopefully.

The witch smiled, and even Zeus was captured for a moment. “Something incredible.”

"Very well,” Zeus said gruffly.

Thalia grunted her reluctant approval. She shifted her stance as she stepped forward to check her brother for injuries, like Zeus would be careless enough to see him be harmed. 

It was then that he noticed her attire. It was armor alright, but it wasn’t in the best condition. It had been cut through, and it consisted solely of a rusted pauldron, inscribed with characters he didn’t recognize, and waist armor that more closely resembled a battle skirt. The armor was emblazoned with a fading crimson color, and it was so unlike Zeus’ own that he was starkly uncomfortable with it. Her armor would allow her to move more swiftly and allow her to exploit her gifted strength and mobility, but it hardly did anything in terms of defense.

"Where did you get that?”

Thalia smirked. “Peeled it off a dead guy.”

"Thalia...”

"Mom left it for her," Jason filled in, ignoring her ire with the ease of an annoying younger brother. "And the Leviathan axe."

"The what?"

"The _Leviathan_ _axe_ ," the witch remarked curiously, and Zeus had enough.

"We're leaving."

The witch spoke an incantation, and suddenly the house shifted. Zeus nearly fell as the scructure shrunk--no, dove--beneath the surface. They were being plunged into the ground. Within seconds, it was over. Everything seemed to be in order. Thalia and Jason had fallen, and Jason had bumped his head on the brick wall, but they seemed to be well.

"A cloaking spell," the witch answered. "If you go out there, you'll face trouble. Come. I will bless you with a protection rune. It will keep the gods of this land far from you. They won't take kindly to you being here."

Thalia stepped forward trustingly, allowing the witch to blow a gold dust over the skin of her neck. Zeus watched as a foreign symbol appeared, shimmered, and then vanished on her skin. It didn't appear to hurt. The witch motioned Jason forward and blessed him with the same mark. After seeing that his children weren't disintegrating or puking blood, Zeus stepped forward to accept his.

"This will make us invisible to your gods?"

The woman shook her head as she applied the blessing. "If you encounter them, they will see you. But they will be unable to find you using magic from Asgard."

"Is this the back way you were talking about?" Thalia asked, making her way to the back door. "The one that leads into the Shores of Nine?"

The witch nodded. "There might be monsters down there, but if you can fight your way through, there is a boat at the dock that will take you out to the lake."

After leaving the witch's house, they soon encountered what Jason called a revenant, an undead witch that returned to haunt the living. It was then that Zeus got his first glimpse of the Leviathan axe. It materialized in Thalia's hands in an explosion of frost. He felt the chill of the blade like it had sliced through him, but then it was gone. Thalia had chucked the axe into the revenant's head, causing it to wail in agony.  Zeus watched as his daughter held her hand out, sending the axe flying in an impressive arc. She snatched it out of the air effortlessly.

"Jason!" Thalia bellowed. "Arrows!"

"I didn't bring my bow!"

"But you brought my spear?"

Zeus rolled his eyes, easily tearing the axe from Thalia's hands. He charged the spirit, dodging poison projectiles as he neared her. He rolled, swinging the axe in front of him and severing her at her waist. He watched as she toppled, driving the sharp pommel of the axe into her face until she dissolved into dust. He shimmied his shoulders, having the revelation that his ancient laws didn't seem to apply in this land. Gods could challenge monsters and mortals.

"Wow!" Jason cried, rushing up to Zeus with a wide smile. "That was awesome!"

"Give me my axe!" Thalia shouted, marching up to him and making herself look as tall as she could. "Mom left it for me."

"Liar," Jason muttered.

"Shut up!"

"She left it for me," Zeus realized. "I will pass it onto you when you are ready. For now, use your spear."

Thalia sputtered incredulously. "My spear is hardly—"

Zeus shoved a golden bracer in her face as a peace offering. "Here, put this on. It is my shield, Aegis. It will keep you safe. For now, you use your spear and you learn. When you are ready, the Levithian axe will be yours." He twirled it dramatically before hooking it into the back of his armor. "Now, let's get to this Lake of Eight."

"Shores of Nine," Jason corrected brightly.

"Whatever," Zeus responded petulantly. 

Thalia stormed away from him as only a child of his could, Jason always hot on her tail. She climbed into the boat, and to his surprise, the water below didn't protest. This truly was a different land. Poseidon had no control here. She looked awfully funny, face buried in her hands like a child, clad in armor a bit too small for her. Jason squeezed in next to her, scrunched in between the side of the boat and his sister's ribs. Zeus settled in across from them, grabbing the ore and using it to push them away from the dock. He glanced both ways, seeing that the cavern had two different routes they could take.

He looked to Thalia quizzically when he heard her snort in derision. She shrugged carelessly, and he had to remind himself that she had plenty of reason to be angry with him. It didn't excuse her disrespectful behavior, but it made it slightly easier to ignore. If she got too out of line, he was able to hit mortals in this land. "Which way, Jason?"

Jason perked up, pulling his compass from his archer’s vestment. "The north entrance. That way."

Zeus followed the direction, smiling grimly at Thalia's greed as she plucked supplies out of the water. He had to remind himself that mortals had need of things like gold and...were those shiny rocks? She saw his curious look and rolled her eyes, stuffing the supplies into a pouch that hung from her waist. 

"Aegir's gold and hacksilver," she answered shortly. "It's good for improving armor."

He nodded his understanding. Maybe she didn't inherit her mother's greediness. It wasn't a good trait for a hero to possess. "Fine."

Jason's leg twitched, the lack of stimulating conversation obviously killing him. He looked like he had so much to say, so much to catch Zeus up on, but he was terrified to open his mouth. Whether he was terrified of his temperamental sister or his temperamental father, Zeus didn't know.

They remained in the tense silence as they emerged from the cave. They pulled into a large lake, the mountain looming far on the horizon. When someone finally spoke up, it was predictably Jason, pointing at something on the lake. "Father, there!"

He didn't question the kid, rowing them quickly over to the large stone structure. 

"It's Thor," Jason said in awe, not catching the way Thalia pointedly glanced to their father. "God of Thunder."

"Thor," Zeus grumbled in annoyance, easily masking his own curiosity. Thor's representation was drowned up to its chest. "And that statue in the center. Is that Odin, King of the Aesir?"

Jason shook his head wildly. "That's Tyr. I always thought you didn't listen when mother spoke."

Zeus ignored the sting his comment provoked, rowing to the statue of Odin. It looked older than the one of Thor, which really didn't make sense. Parts of the statue's face were chipped and exposed raw sediment underneath. "There is something written on his chest. Can you read it?"

Thalia clenched her jaw, turning her eyes back to the statue of Thor. Jason stood a little, knees bent, motioning his father to row closer to the statue.

"It reads: sacrifice your arms to the center of the water; awaken again the cradle of the world." Jason's scar scrunched as his lips curled in confusion. "What?" He turned back to his father, sitting down next to his sister again. "Throw our weapons into the water? Guess that won't be a problem for you."

"What?"

"The axe will come back to you," Thalia said, offering her reluctant help. She was obviously still bitter about him taking it. "Just hold your hand out and will it back to you."

Zeus placed the ore down, standing wobbly to his feet. He still wasn't comfortable being out on the water, but it didn't seem to weaken him. He hefted the axe from his back, gripping it strongly with both hands as he aimed to the center of the water. With a dramatic grunt, he let it fly, and it spun deep into the lake. He held his hand out slowly, wishing the axe back to him. But nothing happened. 

He glanced quickly at Thalia, who looked just as puzzled as he did. "The axe did not return."

She reached out her hand, and the water began to quake. Zeus held his stance, searching for the cause of the tremor. A fire erupted in the mouth of Tyr, and the mountains roared. A massive, scaled creature slithered behind the hills, and he only had a second of warning before the lake attempted to swallow them.

"Hang on!" he yelled to his children, tackling them with ease and pinning them to the bottom of the boat. For the moments that the lake shifted and crashed, he managed to keep all of them in the boat. When the water more or less settled, he pulled them to their feet, and they all turned to see something huge emerge from the surface of the lake. A giant head with mixed scales of blue and gray greeted them, and a blood red eye blinked open. The snake pulled back, rasping to them words that even Jason could not discern.

"What is that?" Zeus questioned, hands sparking in anticipation.

"The World Serpent," Thalia answered before Jason could. She grabbed his electrified hand, shooting him a look of warning before she brought it down to his side. "He is friendly."

"Friendly?" Zeus repeated gruffly, just as the axe came soaring back for them. He snatched it before it could burrow into the boat.

The serpent edged closer, blowing its freezing breath in their face as it attempted to communicate.

"It speaks?"

"Yeah!" Jason said excitedly. "Mom said he's nice."

The serpent seemed satisfied, and it turned its face away from them.

"That was amazing!" Jason exclaimed.

"He lowered the water level," Thalia observed. “Look, you can see all of Thor now. And it looks like the top of a tower is next to him.”

Zeus grunted, rowing over to the closest strip of gold and metal. It looked like a bridge, and it was bordered by statues of warriors. They docked at the bridge, stepping out of the boat and making their way to the only entrance within their reach. It was a set of great, ornate doors beneath the statue of Tyr.

Jason was amazed by everything he saw. He could tell that his daughter was equally impressed, but she was holding herself back. From him. As they walked further past the entrance, they heard the ringing of metal and the roaring of a fire. Zeus threw his arms out in front of their chests, pressing them back as he peered around the corner to access the danger.

"Oi! Don't just stand there, ya fuckin' one-gnad bastard!"

Zeus snarled as he drew his axe.

"Father, don't! It's just a dwarf!"

"Just a dwarf?" the blue creature repeated incredulously. "Why, I oughta—"

"My father means no harm," Thalia interrupted the blue guy's rampage. "He is not from this land. And my brother is just careless with his words."

The dwarf grunted, tossing his hammer back onto his table. "Will you be buyin', then? Or just fuckin' touchin' everything?"

"What is this place?” Zeus grumbled.

"Yer delightful,” the dwarf grumbled right back. “This is one of my hundred shops. Now are ya buyin’?”

"Yeah,” Thalia answered before Zeus could incinerate him to tiny blue bits. “Do you have any mystical axes?” She angled her head suggestively to Zeus, earning her a well-deserved disgruntled look. “Someone stole mine.”

The dwarf peered past her body, having to lean all the way to the side to do so. “The Leviathan axe. Aye, she’s one of mine. Created her with my brother.” His face turned sour. “Back before he turned into a talentless pile of—”

Zeus didn’t believe that this creature created an axe so powerful. He seemed more ignorant than anything.

"What’s your name?” Jason asked daringly, interrupting his rant. 

“Brok,” the dwarf grunted. “And you?”

"I’m Jason!” He pointed to his older sister. “This is my sister Thalia. She’s a great warrior!”

"And I am their father,” Zeus introduced himself, more than a bit irritated that Jason hadn’t singled him out and glorified him.

Then again, the kid didn’t really know what he was. His sister was his hero. Zeus supposed he should be happy about that, but it wasn’t wise to blindly follow another more powerful. The boy would only end up hurt in the end, if the prophecy rung true.

"Pleased to fuckin’ meet you, then,” Brok spat. “I can take a look at that there axe, if you don’t mind.”

Thalia yanked the axe from his back before Zeus could deny the dwarf. She tossed it to the annoying blue creature, and Brok easily snatched it from the air. 

"You ain't been takin' care of 'er," Brok chided as he studied the blade. "I could sharpen 'er, alright, but I need to craft a new pommel. This bit's all mucked up."

"How much?" Thalia asked shortly, crossing her muscled arms over her chest. "I have some hacksilver."

Brok chortled. "I'll do it free, but you'll owe me a favor."

"She will owe you nothing," Zeus cut in, instantly suspicious. He'd be damned if he let his daughter be forced into some sick marriage with something bluer than the Aegean. "We are leaving."

"Oi, not like that, big lout," Brok griped. "I'd need you to get a frozen flame to repair it. You'd be best findin' it in the snowy cliffs just west of here."

"Forget it, dwarf," Zeus griped, ripping the axe back. "You will do us no favors."

"Father—"

"Enough, Jason," Zeus interrupted, spinning angrily away and trudging back towards the entrance.

When he did not hear the echoing footsteps of his children, he seethed, spinning back around to see something that angered him beyond words. Thalia was speaking quietly with the blue man, and judging from Brok's almost imperceptible but pleased smile, Zeus guessed Thalia was taking on the task of finding a frozen flame. Without his permission, against his better judgement.

"THALIA!" he roared, losing his composure all at once. "I am your Father. You shall not disobey me!"

She smirked almost as if to say:  _Whatcha gonna do about it, old man?_

But she wouldn't dare.

Her smirk faded and she nodded to the dwarf, making her away obediently to her father's side and sarcastically gesturing for him to lead the way.

Zeus narrowed his eyes in suspicion, his fists still very much clenched.

"Do not do anything that is unwise," he warned her gruffly. "It will be a dangerous journey, and I cannot have you going off on your own. Our priority is getting your mother to the highest peak, and we are going home."

No answer besides a roll of her eyes.

Zeus straightened his shoulders. As he stepped out, they noticed the water level had lowered impossibly further, and they were rather high up, perched on a long bridge, surrounded by shrines and temples. And ye, gods, the statues. And he thought he was self-absorbed. He heard the doors slam behind him and he growled, hearing Jason's stifled shouts from inside of the tower.

"Thalia," he snarled. "Open the door! Now!"

A tremor nearly knocked Zeus off his feet, and he turned just in time to find himself pinned against the doors of the tower, strong hands clasped around his neck. A face framed by a reddish-blonde beard, blue eyes glowing like sapphires, nearly drowning their torn, splayed pupils. His body was mostly covered in strange, glowing runes, and his teeth were a startling white as he barred them.

"It's no use hiding anymore. I know who you are. More importantly, I know what you are,” he cackled sadistically, strengthening his hold. Zeus grit his teeth. “Just tell me what I want to know.”


End file.
